Valve-gear for internal-combustion engines.



No. 802,321. PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.

' F. M RITE. VALVE GEAR FOR INTERNAL CUMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1904.

ATTORNEYS DIDIIW I. um! m. mgo-umcnwms, msmavou. Ii I- FFTUE.

FRANCE M. RITES, OF ITHAOA, NEW? YORK.

VALWE GHEMW FOf-l lltlTERNAL-UOIWHUSTWUN ENGlNES Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed January 8, 1904. Serial No. 188.170.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that l, FRANCIS M. Rrrns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Valve-Gear for Internal- Combustion Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic regulating devices for internal-combustion engines of the four-cycle or similar type in which ignition occurs every other stroke or even less frequently and is a modification of the invention set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 741.976, dated October 20, 1903.

The va1ve-gear herein described is particularly adapted for operating valves of the puppet type, which normally are held closed by a suitable springer equivalent device, and my improved valve-gear is arranged to open such valves positively and likewise to effect regulation of the speed of the engine by varying the point of valve closure or cut-0d.

The valve-gear herein described is particularl y suitable for vertical engines.

My invention consists in the novel mechanism herein described for operating valves which normally are held closed by springs or equivalent means.

The objects of my invention are to improve the valve-gear and governing mechanism of explosive or internal-combustion engines of the class described, to open positively puppet or other valves which normally are held closed by springs or equivalent means, to regulate the speed of the engine by varying the point of valve-closure, and to make the valve-gear as simple, compact, and effective as possible.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which two forms of valve-gear embodying my invention are illustrated, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

in the said drawings, Figure 1 shows an elevation and partial section of a vertical engine fitted with my improved valve-gear and regulating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a detail top view and partial section of this valve-gear. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation illustrating an alternative form of the valvegear. Fig. 1 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of this alternative form of valvegear.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the engine there in shown comprises a working cylinder 1, a combined base and crank-chamber 2, a crankshaft 3, and a valve-chamber t at the upper end of the cylinder 1. The cylinder may have the usual piston and piston-rod for driving the crank-shaft. Upon the crank-shaft 3 there is a Ii y-wl1eel 5, carrying a fly-wheel governor 6 of the shifting eccentric type, the eccentric 7 of which is arranged to be swung across the end, but not across the center, of the crankshaft 3 by the motion of the governor-weight. Upon the crank-shaft 3 there is a pinion 8, intermeshing with a gear 9, carrying a crank pin 10. The ratio of gears 8 and 9 in a fourcycle engine of the usual type is two to one, gear 9 revolving at one-half the speed of gear 8. A rock-shaft 11 is rotatably mounted in some fixed portion of the engine and is provided with an arm 12, connected by the link 13 to the governoneccentric 7. This shaft, which will be vibrated back and forth as the eccentric 7 rotates, carries an eccentric 14:, the eccentric-strap 15 of which is provided on one side with a prolongation 16, the end of which is beneath the stem 17 of the valve 18 of the engine. Upon the opposite side said eccentriostrap 15 is provided with another extension 19, connected by link 20 to the crankpin 10. In this valve-gear the eccentric 1d and the eccentric-strap 15, with its extensions 16 and 19, constitute two cooperating valveoperating members, of which the eccentric 1d constitutes a movable support for the other member. The governor-eccentric 7 and the crank-pin 2O constitute two valve-actuating devices driven at different speeds, one arranged to actuate one of the two valve-operating members, the other arranged to actuate the other of said members. The valve 18 is provided with a spring 21, bearing against a fixed portion of the engine (in the instance shown the valve-chamber) and against a shoulder on the valve-stem. Said spring therefore normally holds the valve closed, and the valvegear positively operates the valve by contact with the valvestcm to open the same against the action of the spring 21. The operation of this valve-gear is as follows: At the beginning of the suction-stroke of the engine the part 16 being moved upward by the action of the eccentric let raises the valve 18 against tension of its spring 21. At a variable point in the suction-stroke, determined by the position of the eccentric 7, portion 16, having previously begun to move downwardly, permits valve 18 to close, thus cutting off the charge. In the next succeeding stroke, which is the ignition or working stroke of the engine, the eccentric 1a is moved upward in the same manner as in the preceding stroke; but at this time, the crank-pin 10 being in position opposite that occupied by it at the corresponding period of the previous stroke, the member 16 does not come in contact with the stem of the valve, and hence said valve is not opened. It Will be seen that by this mechanism the valve is opened positively, and that regulation is caused by varying the point of cut-off, and that the mechanism of the valve-gear is very simple and direct-acting and contains very few joints.

Fig. 3 illustrates an alternative form of the valve-gear in which the arm 12, operated by link 13, is connected to the eccentric-strap 22, corresponding to eccentric-strap 15 of Fig. 1, the eccentric 26 being vibrated by arm 24, operated by link 20. The member 25, which operates the valve-stem, forms a part of the eccentric-strap, as in Fig. 1. The operation of this valve-gear is the same as that of Fig. 1.

In United States Letters Patent No. 741,166, dated October 13, 1903, I have illustrated a valve-gear for internal-combustion engines comprising two cooperating reciprocating valve-operating members mounted one upon the other, that member which forms the movable support being driven by reducing-gearing, the other member supported thereon being driven by a governor eccentric. The valve-gear illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4: constitutes a modification of the said valve-gear of the said patent.

The valve 18, operated by my improved valve-gear, is not necessarily the admissionvalve of the engine. In Patent No. 74tl,976, above referred to, I have shown that in engines having suction operated admissionvalves the duration of the admission period may be regulated by regulating the point of closure of the exhaust-valve. The valve-gear above described is obviously as applicable for operating an exhaust-valve as for operating an admission-valve.

In the use of puppet admission-valves in internal-combustion engines it is usually preferred to have such valves closed by action of a spring and to have such spring act at all times to hold the valve closed, except during the admission period, and it is also usually preferred to have said valve open positively by the valve-gear for admission. The valvegear above described fulfils all these requirements.

It is obvious that my invention is susceptible of many modifications and variations in form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the basic principle thereof. 1 do not limit myself to the particular details of construction and arrange ment illustrated and described, nor to the particular type of valve shown.

While in the drawings I have shown a spring for holding the valve closed and I have referred to such spring in the claims, it is obvious that other valve-closing devices equivalent to the springsuch, for example, as weights or vacuum-potsmay be substituted for the spring, and such substitution I regard as Within the invention and the claims.

What I claim is 1. In an internal -combustion engine, the combination with an engine-cylinder, and a valve therefor provided with means normally holding the valve closed, of two valve-actuating devices driven at different speeds, means for operating said valve comprising a shaft mounted in a fixed bearing and provided with an eccentric fulcrum, avalve-operating member movably mounted upon said eccentric fulcrum, and means, comprising links, connecting said shaft and valve-operating member to said valve-actuating devices.

2. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with an engine-cylinder and a valve therefor provided with means normally holding the valve closed, of two valve-actuating devices driven at difiierent speeds, means for operating said valve comprising a shaft mounted in a fixed bearing andprovided with an eccentric fulcrum, a valve-operatingmember movably mounted upon said eccentric fulcrum, means, comprising a link, connecting said shaft with the slower moving of said actuating devices, and a link connecting the valve-operating member to the other actuating device.

3. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with an engine-cylinder, and a valve therefor provided with means normally holding the valve closed, of a governor mounted to rotate and arranged to be driven by said engine and having a shifting eccentric constituting one valve-actuating device, another valve-actuating device driven at a different speed, means operated by said valve-actuating devices for operating said valve comprising a shaft mounted in a fixed bearing and provided with an eccentric fulcrum, said shaft arranged to be oscillated by one of said valve-actuating devices, and a valve-operating member movably mounted upon said eccentric fulcrum,and arranged to be reciprocated by the other of said valve-actuating devices, and arranged to engage the valve to operate the same.

I. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with an engine-cylinder, and a valve therefor provided with a spring normally holding the valve closed, of a crankshaft, a governor mounted thereon having a shifting eccentric, reducing-gearing driven from said crank-shaft and a crank-pin opersoaeei ated thereby, and means for operating said valve comprising two members, a movable support and a valveo1:)erating member mounted thereon, one of said members connected to the governor-eccentric and the other to said crank-pin and arranged to be reciprocated thereby, said valve-operating member arranged to engage the valve to operate the same.

5. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with an engine-cylinder, and a valve therefor provided with a spring normally holding the valve closed, of two valveactuating devices driven at different speeds, and means for operating said valve compris ing two members, one an eccentric rotatively mounted, the other member mounted to oscillate, said second member normally out of engagement with said valve but arranged to engage thesame at suitable times to operate it, and means connecting said eccentric and second member to said valve-actuating devices, comprising links.

6. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with an engine-cylinder, a valve therefor provided with a spring normally holding the valve open, and a crank-shaft, of a shifting-eccentric governor mounted on said crank-shaft, reducing-gearing driven from said crank-shaft, a cranlcshaft driven by said gearing, and means for operating said valve comprising another eccentric mounted to oscillate, means connecting the same to the governor-eccentric for oscillating it, a member mounted upon said oscillating eccentric, means connecting said member to said crankpin for oscillating it about said eccentric, said last-named member provided with means for actuating the valve.

7. in an internal-combustion engine, the combination with an engine-cylinder, and a valve therefor provided with a spring normally holding it closed, of two valve-actuating devices, driven at different speeds, and valve-operating means operated thereby comprising a reciprocating member, a fixed support therefor, a link connecting said member to the slower moving of said valve-actuating devices, another member mounted upon said reciprocating member, and a link connecting it to the other of said valve-actuating devices.

8. in an internal-combustion engine, the

combination with an engine-cylinder, and a valve therefor provided with a spring normally holding it closed, of a crank-shaft, a governor mounted thereon having a shifting eccentric, reducinggearing driven from said crank-shaf t and a crank-pin operated thereby, and means operated by said eccentric and crank-pin arranged to engage said valve and move the same to an open position and then to release said valve to permit the same to close, said means comprising a reciprocating member, a fixed support therefor, said member connected to said cranlr-pin and arranged to be reciprocated thereby, and another member mounted upon said reciprocating member, connected to the shifting eccentric and arranged to be reciprocated thereby.

9. .ln an internal-combustion engine, the combination with an engine-cylinder, and a valve therefor provided with means normally holding the valve close l, of two valve-actuating devices driven at different speeds, one of said devices being a shifting eccentric, and means operated thereby for operating said valve comprising two members, a movable support and a valve-operating member mounted thereon, and links connecting said members to said valve-actuating devices, said valveoperating member arranged to engage the valve to operate the same.

10. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with an engine-cylinder, and a valve therefor provided with means normally holding the valve closed, of means for oper ating said valve comprising two members, a movable reciprocating support and a valveoperating member thereon arranged to engage the valve to operate the same, and means for operating said members comprising two valve-actuating devices driven at different speeds, one connected to and arranged to reciprocate said valve-operating member, the other connected to and arranged to reciprocate said support in a direction approximately parallel to that of said valve-operating member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. RITES.

Witnesses:

H. M. MARBLE, C. L. HALL. 

